Town of Grantham, NH 2018 Annual Town Report

Town of Grantham, NH Town 2018 Annual Town 2018 Annual Report Town Annual Report Annual 2018 2018 — Town of Grantham of Town

TOWN OF GRANTHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

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Polls open from 10 AM—Polls from 7 PM open 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, Election of School Officials By ballot on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 March on Tuesday, ballot By Grantham Town Building, Lower Level Lower Building, Town Grantham

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 March 5 PM at Tuesday, 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, Grantham Town Building, Lower Level Lower Building, Town Grantham Grantham Town Meeting Town Grantham

Election of Town Officials by ballot; polls 10 AM— Officials open Town by of Election 7 PM Annual Report Annual Annual Meeting 2018 2018 — 75 Learning Drive, Grantham, NH 75 Learning Tuesday, March 5, 2019 March 6:30 PMat Tuesday, Grantham School District

Grantham Village School Village Gymnasium Grantham

Town of Grantham of Town

~ Publication Notes ~ Cover Photo: In 2018, the Blue Mountain Snow Dusters Snowmobile Club held their first-ever Grantham Sled Dog Race. The event was a huge success, drawing happy mushers, spectators, and dogs from Grantham and beyond again this year (shown in these 2019 photos). Photo courtesy of resident, Sheridan Brown. Dedication written by Kenneth B. Story Printing by RC Brayshaw, West Lebanon, NH

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 2 2

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 3 2018 TOWN REPORT DEDICATION: MAURICE “HAP” RENEY

In the early 1960s, Grantham was a small town indeed. Interstate 89 was under construction, but it wouldn’t be completed and open to traffic until a few years later. The Upper Valley was years away from being the commercial hub it has become, and the Eastman community was but a gleam in the eye of developer Emil Hanslin. Old Routes 10 and 114 were the main auto roads in town, and their intersection formed the nucleus of what was known as Grantham Village. Fittingly enough, the building located at the village’s exact center, on Route 10 and at the terminus of Route 114 was Reney’s Gen- eral Store.

Operated by Eleanor and Maurice “Hap” Reney since 1947, Reney’s Store served a dual role as the only grocery store in town and the town’s social center. Beneath the sign bearing the famous inscription “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it,” old friends greeted each other in the parking lot or at the gas pumps, residents from all over town met here while shop- ping for groceries, hardware and kerosene, and virtually everyone took a few extra minutes to talk to Eleanor and

Hap.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 4 4 Those of us fortunate enough to grow up in the village remember rising on summer mornings, awoken by the sound of the store’s wooden screen door, attached by a metal spring, banging against the door jamb dozens of times per day as customers came and went. More than that, we recall Eleanor’s infectious laugh ringing through the neighborhood as she shared a joke or two. As a kid, there was no better way to wake up on a Sat- urday.

For his part, Hap was the generous, kind storekeeper whose robust sense of humor allowed him to tolerate generations of young children running through his store, leaving behind trails of candy wrappers and pop- corn. The youngest child of mill owner Donas Reney, Hap grew up in Grantham. After serving in the Army’s

10th Mountain Division during World War II, Hap returned to take over the store from his aunt. Hap quickly learned the general store trade, including the seasonal nature of the tourist traffic that increasingly defined the economy of New Hampshire. He once said “You’ve got about five months – June through October – to make 90% of the income you’re going to make all year, so you’d better plan ahead.” He and Eleanor did just that, operating a thriving local business until their retirement in the mid-1980s.

Eleanor and Hap also served the town in other ways: Eleanor was the town tax collector for 18 years and Hap served as a Selectman for 10 years. Hap also volunteered with the fire department and was among the local residents who helped fight the famous Grantham Mountain fire of 1953.

Unfortunately, we lost Eleanor in 2014. And yet, those of us who know and love Hap feel as if we have never completely lost her as long as we can see Hap smile and hear him laugh. Thank you, Hap, for your kindness, your generosity, and for providing all those wonderful memories to so many who lived here and so many kids who grew up here. It would not have been the same without Eleanor, and you, and Reney’s General Store.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 5 TOWN DEPARTMENT HOURS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

SELECTMEN’S OFFICE; 300 Route 10 S; 603-863-6021; fax 603-863-4499 Hours: Monday...... 8 AM – 4 PM Tuesday...... 8 AM – 4 PM Wednesday...... 8 AM – 4 PM Thursday...... 8 AM – 4 PM Friday...... 8 AM – 4 PM

TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR; PO Box 135; 300 Route 10 S; 603-863-5608; fax 603-863-4499 Hours: Monday...... 8 AM – 5 PM Tuesday...... 8 AM – 7 PM Wednesday...... 8 AM – 7 PM Thursday...... 8 AM – 5 PM; Closed for lunch from 12 PM – 1 PM Friday...... 8 AM – 4 PM; Closed for lunch from 12 PM – 1 PM

DUNBAR FREE LIBRARY; PO Box 1580; 401 Route 10 S; 603-863-2172 Hours: Monday...... 9 AM – 7:30 PM Tuesday...... Closed Wednesday...... 9 AM – 7:30 PM Thursday...... 9 AM – 5 PM Friday...... 8:30 AM – 12 PM Saturday...... 9 AM – 2 PM

FIRE DEPARTMENT; PO Box 80; 251 Route 10 S; 603-863-5710

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT; 36 Dunbar Hill Road; 603-863-9156; fax 603-863-4499

POLICE DEPARTMENT; PO Box 704; 300 Route 10 S; 603-863-6844; fax 603-863-8152 Non-Emergency 24-Hour Dispatch 603-643-2222; EMERGENCY 911

TOWN ARCHIVES; 34 Dunbar Hill Road; 603-863-9701 Hours: Friday 1 PM – 4 PM

TRANSFER STATION; 1150 Route 114; 603-863-9713; fax 603-863-4499 Hours: Sunday...... 9 AM – 4 PM Monday...... 8 AM – 12 PM Tuesday...... Closed Wednesday...... Closed Thursday...... 8 AM – 4 PM Friday...... 10 AM – 4 PM Saturday...... 8 AM – 4 PM

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6 6 ELECTED OFFICIALS

BOARD OF SELECTMEN G. Warren Kimball, Chair 2020 Constance A. Jones 2019 Peter H. Garland 2021

TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR Kenneth B. Story 2019 Penelope Palmer, Deputy (Appointed) 2019

TREASURER Maynard Goldman 2020 Donald Noordsy, Deputy (Appointed) 2020

MODERATOR Lorie McClory 2020

CEMETERY TRUSTEES G. Warren Kimball 2020 Christopher Paquette 2019 C. Peter James 2021

LIBRARY TRUSTEES Beverly Marshall, Chair 2019 Nicole Mason 2020 Patricia Beasley 2021 Carl (Tod) Lloyd 2019 Megan Alexander 2021

PLANNING BOARD Carl Hanson, Chair 2019 Peter Guillette, Vice Chair 2021 Mary Hutchins 2019 C. Peter James 2021 Warren Kimball, Selectmen’s Representative & Voting Member 2020

SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST Donna Stamper 2020 Sandra Noordsy 2022 Suzanne Goldman 2021

TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST FUNDS James Coakley 2020

Robert Fogg 2019 Maria Dahlman 2021

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 7 TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE C. Peter James, Planning Board Representative 2021 Ralph Beasley 2019 Raymond Miner 2020

CONSERVATION COMMISSION David Wood, Chair 2020 Susan Buchanan 2020 Richard Hocker 2021 Richard Kaszeta 2021 Laura Nagy 2021 Vacant Dennis Ryan, Alternate 2021 Peter H. Garland – Selectmen’s Representative 2021

ENERGY COMMITTEE Paula Bresnick, Co-Chair 2021 Jeannine Chenevert, Co-Chair 2021 Donald Fitzpatrick 2021 Andy Gelston 2019 Susan Goodwin 2021 Peggy Martineau 2021 Michael Salo 2021

FRIENDS OF THE DUNBAR FREE LIBRARY Susan Wren, President Deborah Chambers, Treasurer Linda Martin, Secretary Marsha Ash Susan Damon Amy Davis Laurie Hanks

RECREATION PARK COMMITTEE Shawn Hayward, Chair 2020 Jeremy Bachelder 2020 Mary Ann Sears 2020 Marsha Googins, Athletics Representative Warren Kimball, Selectmen’s Representative

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8 8 TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

UPPER VALLEY LAKE SUNAPEE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVES Peter Guillette 2020 Lynn Kisselbach, Alternate 2019 Donald Nicholas, TAC Representative Jay Buckey, TAC Alternate Representative

ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT Conrad Frey, Chair 2020 Myron Cummings 2020 Peter Guillette 2020 Tanya McIntire 2021 Peter Gardiner, Alternate 2019 Constance Jones, Selectmen’s Representative

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 9 BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE The following is a list of regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. Meeting notices are posted on our website calendar at www.granthamnh.net, as well as on the bulletin boards at Grantham Town Hall, 300 Route 10 South, and the Grantham Post Office at 21 Willis Avenue. Boards and Committees that meet on an irregular schedule are not included in this list. Changes to the regular meeting schedule are posted on our website calendar.

Board of Selectmen: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month; 5 PM

Conservation Commission: 1st Monday of each month; 7 PM

Energy Committee: 1st Monday of each month; 5 PM

Library Trustees: Visit their website at www.dunbarlibrary.org

Planning Board: 1st Thursday of each month; 7 PM

Trustees of the Trust Funds: 2nd Tuesday of each month; 1 PM

Zoning Board of Adjustment: 4th Thursday of each month; 7 PM

If you are interested in serving on an appointed board or committee, please send a letter of interest and qualifications to the Grantham Board of Selectmen, 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH 03753 or email to [email protected].

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 1010 TOWN STAFF

ADMINISTRATION FOREST WARDEN CONT’D Melissa White, Town Administrator/Welfare Official David Beckley, Deputy Ann Jasper, Administrative Assistant Jeremiah (Jay) Fountain, Deputy Marianne Roberts, Office Assistant Cory Howarth, Deputy Jeanne West, Receptionist (PT) Jeremy LaBombard, Deputy Brandon Mason, Deputy BUILDINGS & GROUNDS Greg Stender, Facilities Maintenance Manager HEALTH OFFICER Glenn Carey, Groundskeeper Susan Figley

BUILDING INSPECTOR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT Jeremiah (Jay) Fountain Jeffrey Hastings, Road Agent Brian Hastings, Assistant Road Agent EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Donald Cote, Part-time (summer) David Beckley, Director Susan Figley, Deputy LIBRARY Dawn Huston, Director FIRE-EMS DEPARTMENT (Paid On-Call) Joey Holmes, Assistant Director Justin Hastings, Chief Vacant, Programming Assistant Jeremiah (Jay) Fountain, Assistant Chief Theresa Heepe, Library Assistant Jeremy LaBombard, Lieutenant Barbara Travis, Library Assistant David Beckley, Lieutenant Andy Gelston, Substitute Ryan Avery, Lieutenant Lori Avery, Lieutenant POLICE DEPARTMENT Emmanuel Ajavon, Firefighter John Parsons, Chief Taylor Anderson, EMS Gordon Cunningham, Sergeant Zach Balfour, Firefighter/EMS Ryan Gamble, Sr. Patrolman Rosie Bard, Firefighter Ryan Cameron, Patrolman Bruce Chipman, EMS Kevin Bronson, Patrolman (PT) Jane Chipman, EMS Timothy Julian, Patrolman (PT) Hunter Coronis, Firefighter Robert Schwartz, Patrolman (PT) Kelly Coronis, EMS Judith DiPadova, Secretary Ryan Gallian, Firefighter/EMS Stuart Gillespie, EMS RECREATION DEPARTMENT Cory Howarth, Firefighter Jamielynn Garland, Activities Director (PT) Brandon Mason, Firefighter Marsha Googins, Athletic Director (PT) Brett McKenney, Firefighter/EMS Keith Medeiros, Firefighter TOWN ARCHIVIST Ryan Medeiros, Firefighter Julie Cummings Lewis Meier, Firefighter Trevor Messineo, Firefighter/EMS TRANSFER STATION Stephen Ripley, Firefighter Christopher Scott, Supervisor Jack Tibbits, Firefighter Buddy Sweeney, Attendant Ronald Bendel, Attendant (PT) FOREST WARDEN William Bullock, Attendant (PT) Justin Hastings Christopher Martin, Attendant (PT) Lori Avery, Deputy Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 11 March 12, 2019 Town Meeting Rules 1. The Moderator will use the following general rules of procedure, the main purpose of which are to keep the meeting moving and not get bogged down in procedural quagmires.

2. Even though the Moderator runs the meeting, this is your meeting. Any ruling by the moderator can be challenged. 3. Registered voters only will be seated in the center section of the meeting hall. Non-voters will be seated in the visitor’s gallery located in the area bounded by the pillars and the inside wall of the meeting hall.

4. Non-voters who are not officers of the town or consultants to the town may be allowed to address the meeting only if the town votes to permit it. A simple majority is required.

5. The Moderator will consider each Article as follows: A. The Moderator will announce the Article number, and the text of the Article will be dis- played on the overhead screen or will be otherwise made available at the Meeting. The Moderator need not read the full text of the Article.

B. The Moderator will recognize a member of the Board of Selectman or the petitioner (if a pe- titioned Article) to move the adoption of the Article.

C. If the Motion is seconded, the Moderator will recognize a member of the Board of Selectmen or the petitioner to explain the Article.

D. The Meeting will debate and then vote on the Article.

6. ALL voters will direct their remarks to the Moderator. Whenever a voter wishes to speak, he or she will go the microphone, address the moderator by first identifying him or herself and providing his or her street address. The microphone is necessary for accurate recording of the meeting.

A. If a voter is unable to reach one of the stand-up microphones, the voter should raise his/her hand and one of the hand-held microphones will be provided.

B. In order for everyone to have the opportunity to speak, speakers will be limited to three minutes (with the exception of initial presentations on warrant articles).

C. No one will be recognized to speak a second time until everyone who wishes to speak a first time has had the opportunity.

D. If you agree with someone, it is OK to say that instead of repeating something that has already been said.

E. The microphone will also be used by people wanting to “Call (or Move) the question.” Any- one shouting it out from his or her seat will not be recognized. This will avoid preempting people who are already in line to speak to an issue.

F. A motion to “Call the question” requires a 2/3 vote. If this motion is passed all voters standing at a microphone or holding a microphone, and anyone seated at the head table who has previously told the Moderator that he/she wishes to speak on the Motion will be allowed to speak.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 1212 G. The Moderator shall have the right to refuse to recognize a Motion to Call (or Move) the question if, in the Moderator’s opinion, the voters have not yet had an adequate opportunity to discuss an issue. 7. All questions and comments should be addressed to the Moderator. The Moderator will choose who responds to the questions.

8. Unless superseded by State law, reconsideration of a vote on any article should be brought up immediately after the vote has been declared and may only be made by a voter who voted on the prevailing side of the vote to be reconsidered.

A. Mandatory Restriction: A vote on the issuance of bonds or notes over $100,000 cannot be reconsidered at the same meeting. In accordance with RSA 33:8-a, if a motion to reconsider a ballot vote on a bond issue of over $100,000 passes, the Article cannot be reconsidered until a reconvened Meeting that is at least seven (7) days after the original vote. With respect to bond votes, the restrictions on reconsideration automatically applies without the need for the Meeting to vote for it. B. Optional Restriction: Voters may postpone reconsideration of any Article at this Meeting by voting to restrict reconsideration of the Article in accordance with RSA 40:10. If the Meeting passes such a motion, then the Article cannot be reconsidered until a reconvened meeting held at least seven (7) days after the date of the original vote.

9. The moderator will conduct a secret “yes-no” ballot when five voters make a written request prior to a voice or show of hands vote on any article open for discussion. All five voters must be present and identified.

10. The moderator will conduct a secret “yes-no” ballot when seven or more voters question any non- ballot vote immediately after the vote is declared and before any other business is conducted.

11. All proposed amendments to articles will be submitted in writing to the Moderator prior to discussion of the amendment. Amendment forms can be found on the last page of your town report.

12. The Moderator will not accept negative motions which require a “no” vote to vote in the affirmative, such as “I move that we not adopt the budget.”

13. If the Meeting is not finished at 11:00 pm, the Moderator may recess the Meeting to a future date.

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TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6060 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 61 BOARDBoard OF of SELECTMEN Selectmen Report REPORT

Your Grantham Board of Selectmen, Warren Kimball, Connie Jones, and Peter Garland, serve as the execu- tives of the Town. We are responsible for the oversight of the Selectmen's office in the Town Hall as well as the Police, Fire, Transfer Station, Highway Department, and Building Inspector. The Recreation Department and the Activities also fall under our overall responsibilities. In addition, the Selectmen are mandated to be present at all elections, to set the department budgets and the tax rate (these functions do not include the school budget and taxes which are the sole responsibility of the School Committee and the Superintendent). In addition, the Selectmen also participate in meetings of the Planning Board, the Zoning Board, and the Conservation Commission.

THANKS We would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions and service:

The lovely ladies of the Selectman's Office; Melissa White, Town Administrator as well as Ann, Marianne and Jeanne who are the public persona who keep the office humming and provide assistance to the public. And, to Greg who maintains our building and serves the Dunbar Library as well.

Chief John Parsons and the men and lady of the Police Department who protect and serve.

Chief Justin Hastings of the Fire Department and the men and women of the Fire and FAST Squad.

Jeff Hastings and the men of the Highway Department who keep our roads and infrastructure in tip-top shape.

Chris Scott and his crew at the Transfer Station for their diligence and assistance especially to our mature citizens.

Jay Fountain, pro tempore Building Inspector for his efforts and insight.

Marsha Googins and Jamielynn Garland for their work on the Recreation and Activities of the Town which benefits both young and the young at heart.

A special thanks to all of the citizens who volunteer their time and talent to the various boards, committees, commissions, and events that make Grantham such a wonderful place to live in New Hampshire.

A FOND FAREWELL Martha Norris for her many years of dedicated service at the front desk of the Selectman's Office.

Roger Woodworth for his years of service as the Grantham Building Inspector.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6262

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS The 2018 Annual Meeting was met with a blizzard causing the deliberative session to be postponed, but in the actual election, Peter H. Garland was elected as Selectman. The full report of the Annual Meeting is found on page (122).

Justin Hastings was elected Chief of the Grantham Volunteer Fire Department with Jay Fountain serving as Deputy. Jeremy LaBombard leads the FAST Squad.

The Board of Selectmen represented the Town in Superior Court on the matter to Stoney Brook LLC vs. Town of Grantham. The court found in the town's favor.

The Board sought permission from the Superior Court to hold a special town meeting to acquire 383 acres known as the Dillon property. Subsequent events nullified the need for a special town meeting, and the matter will be presented at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting.

Willie Wonka, aka Warren Kimball, Connie, and Peter, as well as Melissa White and our leader, Penny Palmer, Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector, greeted scores of children and their parents when Town Hall became a chocolate factory for Halloween.

Respectfully, Peter, Connie & Warren

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 63 HALLOWEEN FUN AT TOWN HALL

This year’s Halloween theme, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, was designed by Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Penny Palmer. Thank you, Penny, for all of your creativity in making Halloween so much fun this year! Also, thank you to Andy Gelston, for helping build the design set. Photo courtesy of Judy DiPadova.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6464 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS COMMITTEE REPORT

The goal of the CIP Committee is to provide a plan to ensure that capital equipment required by Grantham departments is purchased and replaced on a timely basis and in a manner that has stability in the funding from year to year. We have met with Police Chief John Parsons; Fire Chief Justin Hastings and Former Chief Jere- miah Fountain; Road Agent Jeff Hastings; Supervisor of the Transfer Station, Chris Scott; and Chairman of the Conservation Commission, David Wood. We used these interviews, data sheets they provided and in some cases narratives, they provided to come up with our recommendations.

In the past, one of the most contentious items on the town meeting warrant was the replacement of police cruisers. Chief Parsons laid out in detail the need for four cruisers, three sedans, and one SUV. The plan he laid out included “on-call” officers to provide a much faster response to incidents when there is not an officer on duty. The two of the Grantham officers who share the “on-call” duty take a cruiser home to have it available when they are called out. He proposed a replacement schedule which will keep the vehicles up to date and at the same time when replaced give decent “trade-in” value. By replacing these on a regular schedule, we will reduce downtime and have a fleet which is safe for our police officers. We recommend the following replacement schedule. Years one, two and three, purchase a sedan. Year four, place $40,000 in a capital reserve fund and in year five replace the SUV. The $40,000 will cover the added cost of the SUV and give money to transfer or replace the special police equipment. In the past, we have chosen to “lease” (a euphemism for buying on time) police cruisers. This only added to the expense and with a program of regular and timely replacement is not necessary.

The fire department has the most expensive fleet of vehicles. Chief Hastings and Former Chief Fountain presented a very workable schedule of additions to the capital reserve fund and replacing apparatus as needed while maintaining a steady expense to the town. Fortunately, all apparatus is up to date, and none are in need of immediate replacement. By putting a sum in the capital reserve fund each year going forward, we hope to have funds available when each of the vehicles needs replacement. A recommended amount would be $75,000 each year. While this seems like a lot, the replacement of the fire department trucks and ambulance will run into several hundred thousand dollars each.

Road Agent Jeff Hastings detailed the needs and suggested additions to the highway fleet. The plow trucks get severe use in the winter maintaining the roads, and additional strain placed on them by the plows and sanders does reduce the trouble-free life span. This is another situation where planning ahead will put the town in position to replace vehicles when it is appropriate to ensure that the town’s roads can be properly maintained both summer and especially in winter. Jeff had a couple of suggestions for equipment additions that would save the town money in the end and make the highway department more efficient. One would be a decent sized chipper to deal with the brush and limbs from trimming and storm damage. The other was the addition of a mini excavator to supplement the loader/backhoe. This would extend the life to the loader/backhoe and be more useful in doing “ditching” and other digging jobs. We rent these now, and it means scheduling work around when we have the equipment and not necessarily the most efficient timing. Also, the equipment is not always available when they need it. Jeff was looking at these purchases several years out, but the committee felt that by doing this sooner, the savings would begin sooner.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 65

Chris Scott from the Transfer Station discussed the replacement of the containers (Dumpsters) and the eventual replacement of the Roll-Off truck. The committee felt that the containers just barely met the definition of “capital equipment” and should just be replaced when they need to be. Several of the ones that the town now owns need immediate replacement, as they are in very bad condition, possibly unsafe. The most expensive piece of equipment and the most important one is the Roll-Off truck. Anticipated replacement cost is about $200,000. We asked Chris to have it gone over when the inspection was done at Patten’s Truck Service. Their report said that we should get another three to five years of good service before repairs became a problem. Based on this, we recommend putting $30,000 a year into a capital reserve fund to be in a position to purchase and replacement when the time comes. The other equipment at the transfer station will not require replacement soon enough to be able to accurately predict any time or cost.

At our meeting with David Wood, Chair of the Grantham Conservation Commission, we discussed several land purchases. The largest one became moot when the purchase could not come about due to the seller raising the price of the land beyond what the town could pay. There were a couple of other land acquisitions that were discussed. The Conservation Commission has funds available in their capital reserve fund to cover this.

Please see the attached spreadsheet which details the purchases and capital reserve fund additions.

Respectfully submitted, Ralph Beasley Raymond Miner C. Peter James

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6666 CONSERVATION COMMISSION REPORT

The Grantham Conservation Commission (GCC) is charged with encouraging the public and governing bodies to advance “the proper utilization and protection of the natural resources” of Grantham. It serves as an advisory board to the Grantham Selectmen, and as such, its recommendations usually need to be ratified by the Selectmen before they become actionable. Unlike the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment, which have statutory authority and whose members are elected by the public, the Chair of the GCC is appointed by the Selectmen, and its members are usually nominated by the chair and approved by the Selectmen.

This year the GCC initiated a multi-year effort to improve the recreational value of the 2,500 acres of contiguous open space in Grantham’s northeastern corner. Our goal is to create an integrated set of trails with online maps and on-site signage as well as improved parking at trailheads. Much of the effort in 2018 concentrated on the 29-acre Fisher lot (aka Smith lot) at the upper end of Miller Pond Road. During the winter of 2018, four acres of mature white pine forest were clear-cut yielding a return of almost four thousand dollars, uncovering the historic Fisher Cemetery and creating a parking area to serve both the Fisher Lot and Sherwood Forest. A portion of that clear-cut was then stumped to allow the planting of a meadow and a small orchard of American chestnuts and apples. To date, parts of the planned meadow have been planted in grasses and wildflowers; in the spring Dutch white clover and some of the apples and chestnuts will be planted. This winter we hope to initiate selective logging of the remainder of the lot creating a logging road that will become a new loop trail and connector to the 850-acre Sherwood Forest on the north side of Miller Pond Road.

Our efforts to improve the utilization of the Town’s other open space assets are still evolving. Following up on the For- est Management Plan for the Town Forest described in our 2018 annual report, Jeremy Turner, the forester for the GCC, is working to initiate the logging plan which will not only add much needed funds to the GCC budget but also improve the Mountain Road and Croydon Turnpike and expand the parking at the end of Miller Pond Road. Independently, the GCC has been working with the new owner of the Sherwood Forest to identify how best to facilitate the public’s ability to enjoy the property.

In addition to these more general projects, several of the commissioners spearheaded special efforts. John Larra- bee led the Youth Conservation Corps of Eastman in the construction and installation of a Little Free Library and a picnic bench designed to accommodate a wheelchair for Brookside Park as well as a kiosk for the Fisher Lot. Meanwhile, in recognition of Grantham’s 250th, Rich Kaszeta developed a scavenger hunt of Grantham’s special places complete with commemorative pins for those who complete the hunt. Even though our anniversary year is over, the hunt, which is both fun and educational, is still available on the GCC section of the Grantham website and pins are still available for all who complete the challenge. Finally, Laura Nagy together with Andy Degan of Ausbon-Sargent led a dragonfly hunt that drew 35 participants. Our special thanks to Eryn Bagley and Willie Newhall, who generously gave everyone access to their pond, parking, and bathrooms, to the Master Gar- deners of the Grantham Garden Club who installed a lovely pollinator garden and kiosk in Brookside Park, and to Craig McArt for the map.

Other routine activities of the Commission this year included the review of numerous cutting and “dredge and fill” applications, the land stewardship monitoring of the Sher- wood Forest, and participation in Old Home Day.

If you are interested in volunteering for Commission projects, please contact David Wood, Commission Chair, at 603- 865-7473.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 67 DUNBAR FREE LIBRARY TRUSTEES REPORT

As Grantham’s principal resource for lifelong learning and cultural enrichment, the Library’s staff and Trustees strive to meet our mission, always aware of our responsibility to the community and our patrons’ needs and interests. In an ever- increasing and diverse communications universe, we continue to provide current materials, along with the latest techno- logical resources, for children, young adults, and adults. Your enthusiasm for learning and for partnering with us to make a better world through education and knowledge is very special.

Capital Improvements: Two projects were completed:

Insulation and weatherization of the original building: As the colder months passed, it became clear that the Children’s Area (which is located in the original 1901 building) was not able to maintain an adequate temperature. A professional and complete analysis (and free) by Eversource Energy was conducted, revealing high levels of heat loss in the room due to inadequate insulation, mostly around the original door and windows. With a grant from Eversource (which defrayed 50% of the total cost), the work was completed in late summer.

Residing and repainting: Budget restrictions from the expansion project excluded long-needed exterior residing and repainting needs, and was postponed to a later date. The work was taken on this summer, and now, the building looks spif- fy and fresh in Dunbar green.

Computer Upgrades: As the role of libraries around the world changes to address new ways of learning and accessing information, the DFL is adjusting and growing to accommodate our patrons’ needs for better hardware and current online resources. In accordance, the DFL upgraded its equipment this past year, adding new computers and increasing online public access.

Dunbar Little Free Library: On a rotating basis, DFL Trustees provide stewardship of the Dunbar Little Free Library (LFL) at Rum Brook Plaza. We endeavor to provide materials for all ages – from babies to toddlers to young adults to adults. Please consider donating your gently used books to the LFL Volunteer Appreciation: In mid-September, the Trustees hosted an appreciation party for our volunteers at the home of Pat and Ralph Beasley. Fifty plus volunteers and guests attended, which we believe to be a record! We sincerely thank the dedication of our 50+ volunteers who, together, dedicate upwards of 2,000 hours a year. We could not provide the high level of service the community deserves and expects without them.

Thank You: It is an honor to serve on the Library’s Board of Trustees with Board members Megan Alexander, Patri- Volunteers and their guests at the cia Beasley, Tod Lloyd and Nicole Mason, whom each volunteer appreciation party in bring intelligence and thoughtfulness to our work. We September thank (and miss) former Trustee, Carolyn Simon, who moved mid-year to be closer to her family. Our deepest appreciation goes to our talented and dedicated staff for their amazing work. Led by our talented and dedicated Director, Dawn Huston, the amazing Joey Holmes, Andy Gelston, Karen Goldstein, Terri Heepe and Bobbi Travis work hard every day to maintain the Library’s place in the community’s heart and soul. And to Susan Wren and the Friends of the Dunbar Free Li- brary Board for all the special assistance you give, we say thank you. Thanks also to Melissa White, who guides us in so many ways, and to the Town of Grantham, for your support and partnership.

Beverly Marshall Chair Staff member, Andy Dunbar Free Library Board of Trustees Gelston, greeting trick or treaters on Hallow- een.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6868 DUNBAR FREE LIBRARY DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 69 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 7070 ENERGY COMMITTEE REPORT

The Grantham Energy Committee (GEC) acts in an advisory capacity to the Board of Selectmen and other Town boards, committees and commissions on matters concerning energy conservation, energy eﬃciency, cost reduction and awareness of our commitment in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. The seven committee members try to attend workshops and conferences pertaining to local energy solutions throughout the year as well as staying informed on current legislative initiatives. The GEC holds their meeting on the first Monday of each month at 5 pm in the Jerry Whitney Memorial Conference Room unless otherwise posted.

New advances in renewable energy are on the horizon. Members attended workshops on residential and commercial battery storage. Solar continues to be an advantageous source of energy, and there are actions being taken to make this energy available and aﬀordable to all residents which is one area the GEC is very interested in being a part of. Automotive manufacturers are moving away from those using fossil fuel to all electric in the not too distant future, and Grantham is poised in a perfect location to meet the need with charging stations.

The GEC collaborates with the Eastman Energy Committee to deliver information that would benefit the homeowners. The committees are currently working on bringing information from local vendors on “better building materials” for remodeling or build new with high energy eﬃciency. We would appreciate and welcome your ideas and topics that would be of interest to bring to the town. You can check our site out at granthamnh.net/energy.

Paula Bresnick (Co-Chair)

Jenna Chenevert (Co-Chair)

Don Fitzpatrick

Andy Gelston

Susan Goodwin

Peggy Martineau

Michael Salo

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 71 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORT

No Hurricanes, No Earthquakes, No Forest Fires and only some minor flooding with the break-up of ice dams on Bog Brook and the Sugar River. I thought Grantham was going to make it through the year without any major incidents, then a late fall snowstorm arrived. The storm with heavy, sticky snow brought down many trees, causing significant damage to power lines. The town was without power for more than 24 hours. Although not a major event, it exercised and proved the town’s readiness. Departments in town worked seamlessly keeping the roads open and responding to calls for service. Working with our partners at NH HSEM and Eversource we were able to stay informed of recovery efforts.

Being prepared with our partners takes place at all levels. Howev- er, the most important partners are local; from a family in town with their own emergency response plan and the ability to shelter in place for three days, our town departments for readiness to react to the event, and our state and federal partners that provide both January 13, ice flow in the Sugar River at Route guidelines for response and additional resources for events beyond 10. local capability.

Looking ahead at the plans for the coming year, the Hazard Mitigation Plan is due to be reviewed. The Miti- gation plan helps define risks and evaluate anticipated damages from different events. The Mitigation plan is then used as a tool for applying resources to prevent damage from emergencies. If you are interested in volunteering to assist with the Mitigation Plan, please contact me.

Respectively submitted, David Beckley Emergency Management Director

November 26, Dunbar Hill Road. Photo courtesy of David Beckley.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 7272 GRANTHAM FIRE-EMS DEPARTMENT REPORT

2018 has come to an end, and as the new Chief, I have the privilege to reflect on the past year. Like many organizations, the Fire service faces growing challenges. Recruitment of new personnel continues to be a significant concern for small volunteer organizations. We at the Grantham Fire-EMS Department have been fortunate to add six new members this year! We’ve also had some retention! Former Chief Fountain agreed to stay on and make it a smooth transition of leadership. Ongoing training and education is a significant focus in the Fire-Ems service based on the need to keep up with changing technologies and hazards encountered by our personnel. Training is the key component to safety. The safety of all our personnel and mutual aid partners has always been a primary focus of our mission. We regularly train on Tuesday nights, so, stop by if you are interested in potentially joining us. The Grantham Fire-EMS Department had a very busy year inside and out! At the past town meeting we were approved to replace insulation and windows to help with energy efficiency as well as a much-needed facelift with new paint throughout! What a difference a fresh coat of paint makes! Stop by and see the transfor- mation. On the outside, we had over 130 fire calls ranging from building and chimney fires, motor vehicle accidents, alarm activations and maybe even a cat in the tree. Lebanon Fire Department’s Ambulance and Grantham EMS responded to 189 calls for medical service. We are fortunate to have both responding to calls. We would like to thank the Grantham community for their support at Old Home Day in July where we debuted our new Chicken BBQ grills, built entirely through donations and had another sell-out year! I think we could win a competition with that recipe! We had our annual open house in October where we highlighted the history of our town and fire department. A special thank you to lifetime members Francis Mutney and Bob Colburn, and Grantham Historical Society President, Ken Story for volunteering your time and expertise to help us celebrate our history. Our Neighbors Helping Neighbors event in December helped gather jackets, food for the Newport Food Pantry, and over 100 toys donated for Toys for Tots. Thank you for your continued support to make this possible, we couldn’t do it without you! Finally, I’d like to thank all of the personnel at the department for their continued support and dedication to the town and the department. I am constantly humbled and honored to work with them and to be part of an organization that cares so deeply for their community.

Respectfully,

Justin Ronald Hastings Fire Chief

Firefighters work to put a fire out during the 9/11 Memorial training. Photo courtesy of Lori Avery.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 73 2018 GRANTHAM FIRE-EMS MEMBERS

Justin Hastings—Chief (FF2) Jay Fountain –Assistant Chief (FF2) Jeremy Labombard—Captain (FF2, AEMT) David Beckley—Lieutenant (FF1) Ryan Avery—Lieutenant (EMR) Lori Avery—Lieutenant (EMT) Ajavon, Emmanuel FF Anderson, Taylor EMT (Candidate) Balfour, Zach FF/EMS Bard, Rosie FF Chipman, Bruce EMS Chipman, Jane EMS Coronis, Hunter FF Coronis, Kelly EMS Gallian, Ryan FF/EMS Gillespie, Stuart EMS Howarth, Cory FF Mason, Brandon FF McKenney, Brett FF/EMS Medeiros, Keith FF Medeiros, Ryan FF/EMS Meier, Lewis FF Messineo, Trevor FF/EMS Ripley, Stephen FF Tibbits, Jack FF

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 7474

October 6, 2018, annual open house at the Fire Department. Grantham resident Joey Holmes (center) was the first to arrive. Here, she poses for a photo with Assistant Fire Chief Jay Fountain (left) and Fire Chief Justin Hastings (right), or as she says, “with her favorite boys!”

The Grantham Board of Selectmen, along with Police Chief John Parsons and Town Administrator, Melissa White, recognize “Retiring” Fire Chief Jay Fountain with a certifi- cate of appreciation for his 28 years of service to the Town of Grantham at our July 4, 2018, Old Home Day celebration.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 75 FOREST FIRE WARDEN AND STATE FOREST RANGER REPORT

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 7676 MIDWESTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAZMAT DISTRICT REPORT

The Midwestern New Hampshire Hazardous Materials Response District is made up of fire departments along the I89 Corridor that provide personnel, equipment and technical support to member departments in the event of a hazardous materials spill or release. Member towns include Sutton, New London, Newbury, Newport, Sunapee, Springfield, Grantham, Enfield, Plainfield, Meriden, Hanover, Lebanon and Lyme.

The resources provided to the member towns include sophisticated computer metering and diagnostic equipment that is capable of identifying hazardous chemicals and substances that may be found in a chemical spill, release or in a suspicious package. Most of this equipment would be too expensive for an individual town fire department to purchase on their own, but through federal grants, the district along with other hazmat districts in New Hampshire has been able to acquire this equipment. Also through the grants, the district has provided to each department hand held 4-Gas meters that are used to identify carbon monoxide, flammable gasses, oxy- gen deficiency and other hazards in a building. The Carbon Monoxide meters are most frequently used to de- termine if there is a hazard when a home carbon monoxide detector sounds.

The district also provides hazardous materials training for member departments with monthly meetings and classes, state sponsored lands on training and attendance at state and national hazardous materials conferences and seminars. During 2018, members attended full day propane in transit workshop where they received hands on training which included firefighting on propane tanks and tanker trucks.

District equipment is housed in Newbury, Sunapee, Grantham and Lebanon. District personnel respond with hazardous materials monitoring and containment equipment to calls in throughout the mutual aid district.

Midwestern New Hampshire Hazmat District Officers

Assistant Chief, Jeffrey Libbey, Lebanon Fire Department, Chair

Jay Fountain, Grantham Fire Department, Vice Chair

Wayne Whitford, Newbury Fire Department Secretary

Chief Henry Thomas, Newbury Fire Department, Treasurer

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 77 HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT REPORT

It is hard to believe another year has come and gone. As I sit and review the 2017-2018 year, I am reminded that we had one of the wettest October’s on record, and a November that brought early snow, and plenty of it. I certainly hope it’s not a prelude to the winter we had last year.

The winter of 2017 was a busy one with several large nor’easters. One of which dumped 20 inches of snow! We used 1900 yards of sand and 170 tons of salt. With only two of us, I was not surprised to learn that Brian and I had a combined 508 hours of overtime. Plowing certainly kept us busy, but we also turned wrenches, welded and did our best to keep equipment on the road. We also continued our normal winter duties such as pushing up sand and salt, changing cutting edges, winging back snow banks, not to forget the joy of steaming culverts. As a friendly reminder, there is a town ordinance in place that makes it illegal to deposit and push snow from one’s driveway across a town road. There is also no parking allowed in turnarounds during the winter months. This restriction is so we can adequately clean up winter snow and have room to turn the larger equipment around. We appreciate your due diligence in respecting these ordinances.

Spring graced us slowly as she does every year with measurable snow into mid-April. Thankfully, mud season was manageable. We had to spread three loads of stone on town roads during this time. Routine road sweeping and sand cleanup closed out the spring season. Summer began with normal road maintenance, grading, raking, and spreading about 990 tons of gravel on most of our dirt roads. We continued the annual two-month rental of an excavator which helped speed us along with ditch work and culverts. Some of the bigger summer projects to be completed were prepping, paving, and shouldering Burpee Hill, Draper Road and a large portion of Olde Farms Road. A large portion of Miller Pond Road was ditched along with Silo Lane and Chester Road.

In closing, I would like to thank Brian, Glenn, and Donnie for their hard work year round. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the townspeople, selectmen, and staff in other departments for their support.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeff Hastings Road Agent

The November 27 and 28 snow storm knocked power out to all of Grantham for more than 24 hours. In this photo, Olde Farms Road at the junction of Walker Road is blocked by several downed trees and power lines. Photo courtesy of Melissa White.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 7878 POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT

As 2018 comes to a close, the members of the Grantham Police Department wish to offer our most sincere thanks for the continued support from the community which we serve. By working together as a team, we have been able to keep those who live, work, or travel through Grantham safe. This support has also enabled the department to upgrade equipment for not only our use, but for other town departments as well. As a prime example, the approval of the Police Expedition at last year’s town meeting allowed us to acquire via grant funding, an electronic message board, traffic control trailer, and traffic control equipment. All of these items can be put to use by other town personnel for the betterment of services within the community. Other grants that have been sought after and approved have allowed us to modernize equipment without increasing our budget.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 79

Community support has also gone a long way towards helping those outside of the Grantham borders. The department once again participated in not only the Special Olympics “Cop on Top” at Dunkin Donuts, but the Child Advocacy Center’s “Beards for Bucks” fundraiser. Our combined efforts led to Grantham being the top supporter for the Special Olympics fundraiser for two years in a row. Here again members of the Grantham community, regardless of whether they reside in town or not, work together as a team to benefit those around them. “Team Grantham” can only exist and continue to succeed only through the mutual efforts of the community and town agencies to work together for the common goal, which is making Grantham OUR home.

Respectfully, Grantham Police Department

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8080 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 81 RECREATION: ACTIVITIES REPORT

After taking a short break as Activities Director, I am so very happy to be back with you all continuing all the Grantham Traditions. This year has been filled with amazing amounts of old and new faces joining the “Our Town” community gatherings. Here is the list of what has taken place this year and what you can look forward to seeing again next year.

Egg Hunt - March 31

This year we hosted the hunt inside and outside the Lower Town Hall as the field was still too wet from snow and rain. The sun was shining, and the colored eggs made it feel like spring. We had @ 125 children filling the lower Town Building and the lower parking lot all eager to fill their baskets. This year we purchased a new Easter bunny costume was a big hit with all ages! A very special thank you again to Sugar River Bank for filing all of our eggs for us.

Town Wide Yard Sale - June 9

What a great turn out this year, over 20 tables at the Lower Town Building and 30+ homes throughout Grantham signed up as well. We had a registration form this year which seemed to help organize the map for all. Throughout the day we passed out 125 maps, and it was also available online. Always a great way to clean out the stuff you are not using any longer.

Old Home Day - July 4

Hot, Hot, Hot! Let’s just start there. We added an additional tent, tables, and chairs which were perfect as the shade was greatly appreciated by all. The day started off with one of my biggest parades so far, thank you for Fire Departments, local businesses, patrons and Carz club for being a part of it. Not sure why it was silent but people noticed and we will offer another option next year. I agree parades can get a bit loud so having only a few sirens rather than all will be better than none. Following the parade, the recreation field was full of food and music by the Cruisers. We had mime Chris Yerling entertain us with this antics, along with games, bouncing houses, multiple vendors, a great assortment of food and community tables.

Blueberries - Enjoyed another delicious season of picking to raise money for the Activities Department by selling them at Rum Brook Market. They fly off the shelves and are enjoyed by many!

Music in the Meadow at the Grantham Recreation Park and Pavilion.

This year’s Bands were an amazing mix. Starting July 17 - Fu Chunk, July 24, Blabpipe, July 31, Steve, Marty and Joey, August 7, The Flames, August 14, Old Hat, August 21, The Shana Stack Band and closing out the season on August 29 Soulfix.

Weather permitting, the Pita Pizza Truck had amazing Pizza for Dinner. We also had Ice Cream sodas and Ice creams making the evening fun for the whole family.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8282 Town Scarecrows - Month of October

Always a highlight to kick off the fall season. This year, Scarecrows were purchased by Willis Auto, East- man, Rum Brook Market, Farmers Table, Grey Ledges, Ciofreddi’s, Yoga Connection, Mellish Construc- tion, Legacy Landscaping, Kodiak Construction, Coldwell Bankers DeeAnn Shepherd, Phoenix Painting, Gilson Property Management, Shepherd Realty, Tyson Nails, Sugar River Bank, Dunkin Donuts, Sugar River Animal Hospital, The Clean Team, Yankee Barn and Blue Mountain Kennels, along with a number of Municipal workers as well.

Monster Mash - October 27

The spider webs, wind, and pumpkins from Daisy Hill Farm captured all the ghoulish fun that awaited as you walked into GVS. Music set the scene as Jim Hollis DJ’d for all to enjoy. The sixth graders ran the games, and the costumes were super. Athletics served a pasta dinner and donated desserts. We passed out 10 costume prizes and the night was a smash!

Breakfast with Santa - December 1

Special thanks to the Garland Family for once again donating pancakes and sausage as well as to Rum Brook Market for donating the juice, to Dunkins for the delicious hot chocolate and munchkins. Both Boy and Girl Scouts were very helpful with crafts, food collection and clean-up. The children had fun doing 3 crafts and enjoined pictures with our local Santa, Len Angelli. We had over 350 people in attendance and donated food to the Newport Food Bank.

Tree Lighting with North Country Chordsman - December 2

The weather did not cooperate for the outdoor lighting, but that didn’t stop us from singing along in the Lower Town Hall. Always a treasured memory to start the holiday season.

We are always looking for volunteers to help with activities and ideas that you think might be a good fit for our community.

Respectfully,

Jamielynn Garland Grantham Activities Director

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 83 RECREATION: ATHLETICS REPORT

It was another successful year for Grantham Athletics providing fall, winter, and spring sports programs for the youth of Grantham and surrounding communities. We are seeing a rising interest in adult soccer and adult basketball group for- mations too! Spring 2018 welcomed Baseball with another great year. There was a Majors team (5th/6th-grade boys); A minors team (3rd/4th-grade boys); Two rookie teams (1st/2nd grade co-ed) and two t-balls teams (pre-k; kindergarten and 1st grade- co-ed). Majors, Minors and the rookie teams participated in weeknight and weekend games in the Kearsarge Valley Cal Ripken League. T-ball enjoyed practices and a game or two Saturday mornings. Players aged 9-12 were consid- ered for the KVCRL Allstar teams allowing them to continue to play through until early July. Coaches did a great job with their respective teams –Majors-Randy Britton and John Murphy; Minors- Tom Ripley and Todd Bircher; Rookie- Jeremy Bachelder; Rookie-Dan Schactner and Chris Poljacik; T-ball –Tim Wallstrom and T-ball Lee Strobridge. Summer provided pre-K soccer and coached by Jeff Durell. Participation was great with the program running for about six weeks. Soccer 2018 Kept the Recreation Park busy. Kindergarten and 1/2 grade teams worked on building their skills, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Grades 3-6 continue to participate in the Merrimack Valley Soccer League for skill building gameplay. The 3/4 boys team also participated in the NLOC Bob Andrew’s jamboree in early October. 5/6 girls and boys both finished their season with a division tournament in Mid-October. Great results with both teams finishing in the B division based on W-L-T standings and both claiming a 2nd place position overall for the season. A special thank you to the soccer coaches, Andy Engert, and Glen Price; Jeremy Bachelder and Erin Ames; Sarah Par- rish; Justin Alexander and James Wachsman; and Jennifer Ferland. Taekwondo continues to be a sport of interest providing three sessions each year in the fall, winter, and spring. Taekwondo is offered by instructor Stephen Hopkins from Blue Wave Taekwondo of Hanover, NH in conjunction with Grantham Athletics, with classes held at the GVS gym. At the time of this writing, Basketball is off to a great start with a team at each grade level pairing. Coaches rallied around a short practice season before games began in early December, but the players are showing their skills as the season progresses. Teams are participating in games in the Quad Valley League. Our kindergarten and 1st/2nd-grade teams are having productive and fun practices as they learn the basics of basketball. Thank you to Brian Peck- Kindergarten; Jeremy Bachelder-1/2 grade; Tom Ripley-3/4 boys; Jeremy Bachelder-3/4 girls; Randy Britton-5/6 boys; Emily Rinde-Thorsen-5/6 Girls. Due to low interest, there was no cheerleading squad this year. Grantham Athletics is now using a survey resource to help gather feedback from players and families each sports season in an effort to improve upon the current programs available. It has been a great venue for information, revealing that Grantham Athletics is doing well providing the proper instruction in each sport, the ideals of sportsmanship and the game of fair play. Each year as I sit and reflect on each of the seasons, I am humbly reminded of the dedication and time put in by the parents of these players as they coach, guide, support and teach these young players to be stronger, respect the sport and learn the benefits of teamwork. Thank you.

Respectfully,

Marsha Googins Athletics Director

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8484 SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST REPORT

We want to thank all of our voters and workers that came out on November 6, 2018, for the General Elec- tion. The process ran smoothly thanks to all of you.

During the next year, we will be sending out letters to those voters whom we do not have complete information on their registration cards. These voters probably registered before 2006 when we transferred over to the new program, HAVA, that the State now uses. At that time information such as Drivers License numbers, proof of domicile was not needed. Some of you have changed addresses, and we need to update that information. We ask that if you receive one of these letters that you come into the Town Office and fill out a new registration form. It should only take a few minutes. You will need to bring with you either a passport or drivers license, and a proof of domicile, such as a utility bill, a signed lease, heating fuel delivery ticket, VDE bill or a loan paper which includes your address. If you are a naturalized citizen, you will also need to supply the name of the court where you became a citizen, the location and the date.

We will also be working on cleaning up our checklist by sending out 30-day letters to those who have sold their homes or people we know that have moved. We cannot just remove a voter but have to go through the legally mandated 30-day letter process. If a letter is returned to us with address recipient unknown, we will remove that voter after the 30 days from mailing has elapsed. If you receive one of these letters, it is impera- tive that you come into the Town office seeing, either Ken or Penny and fill out a new form to remain on our checklist.

Thank you for your help with our efforts to keep our checklist and voter records accurate.

Donna Stamper Sandy Noordsy Suzanne Goldman

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 85 TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT

The Selectmen’s Office was very busy in 2018, partly due to a 35 percent increase in building permit applications (we issued 99 building permits, compared to 74 last year). In addition, we also completed several projects that were approved at our annual Town Meeting. Those projects were:

• The purchase of the property adjacent to the Fire Station, known as 275 Route 10 South; • The exterior painting of Town Hall; • The exterior painting of the Highway garage; • The interior and exterior building improvements of the Fire Station; and, • The renewal of the Comcast Cable Franchise Agreement.

I want to thank former Selectman, Sheridan Brown for all his support, time and effort in finalizing the Com- cast Cable Franchise Agreement. Working through a Cable Franchise renewal is a long process, but with Sheridan’s expertise, we were able to secure a five-year agreement, with line extensions, at no cost to the Town, on Split Rock Road, New Aldrich Road, and Chester Road.

In January, there was a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the flooding that occurred from October 27, 2017, through November 1, 2017. So, I worked with FEMA representatives to see if the Town met the threshold for reimbursement for the damage we sustained. As I gathered all the documentation from each Department and tallied them up, it was determined we did not qualify for reimbursement for the costs we incurred due to this storm event.

In February, the first Sled Dog race was held our Recreation Park on Shedd Road. Organized by the North Country Mushers and Blue Mountain Snowdusters Outdoor Recreational Club, this event was well organized, well attended and entertaining!

We also had some staff changes. Eryn Bagley, who served as Clerk to the Planning Board and Conservation Commission; Roger Woodworth, who served as our Building Inspector; and Martha Norris who served as our Office Assistant, all left their position in 2018. We wish you well!

Joining us in 2018 was Peter Garland as our Selectman. Peter also serves as the Selectmen’s Representative to the Conservation Commission. Thank you, Peter, for serving as one of our Selectmen! We also have a couple of new faces in the Selectmen’s Office. They are: Jeanne West, our part-time receptionist, and Marianne Rob- erts, our Office Assistant. Also joining us is Jay Fountain as our Interim Building Inspector, and Stuart Kauf- man as our Planning Board Clerk.

In closing, I want to thank all of the town’s employees for all of their support throughout the year. We are a small group who always works well together regardless of the task. I also want to thank the Board of Select- men, and my family, for all of their support throughout the year. I am blessed to be part of such a wonderful community!

Respectfully,

Melissa M. White Town Administrator

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8686 TOWN ARCHIVIST REPORT

It’s been a busy year in the archives. There have been a number of requests and visitors seeking ancestral information. Others looking for general information and old graveyards. I always find it interesting to learn about the lives of those who lived in Grantham past.

I am making progress, albeit slow, on electronically cataloging the archives.

The archives space has a large table available for those seeking to do research. We welcome students as well as adults. Is your student working on a research project that would benefit from original source material? The archives houses a wide variety of materials, including but not limited to, maps, vital statistics, census data, town charters (yes there was more that one), founding documents, photographs, and letters.

We are open on Friday afternoon from 1- 4pm and by appointment.

If you’re cleaning out please consider contacting the archives. Your “junk” might be valuable to the archives or the Grantham Historical Society.

Respectfully,

Julie Cummings Volunteer Town Archivist [email protected] Phone: 603-863-9701

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 87 TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR’S REPORT

The year brought improvements in both equipment and processes in the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s Office. We have made every effort to increase efficiency, especially in terms of communicating and coordinating with all town offices to help facilitate timely communication regarding the multiple duty areas managed by our office. We also continue to build our collective skill set through experience and training.

In addition to motor vehicle and boat registrations, we continue to license dogs and issue hunting and fishing licenses, as well as registrations for off-road (OHRV) vehicles, which include ATVs and snowmobiles. Please remember that motor vehicle registrations renew by the last day of the primary registrant’s birth month, unless it is a lease, in which case the renewal month is assigned to the leasing company. We send renewal reminders via USPS or email, depending on the owner’s preference. However, these are provided as a courtesy; in the event of a plate change initiated with DMV by the owner since the last registration, they may not be accurate. Please check your current registration to confirm your renewal month. All boats are registered for the calendar year. Dog licenses are also issued for the calendar year. Please remember that they can be paid any time after the first of the year and are due by April 30. This deadline does not change year to year and remains in force regardless of what day of the week it falls on.

Property tax bills are issued from this office and payments are processed here. Bills are sent out twice a year and due in early July and early December (the property tax year runs from April 1 to March 31 of the following year). Any questions regarding property tax billing, payments and tax liens should be directed to our office.

Residents and property owners should feel free to consult the town website, www.granthamnh.net, for a variety of useful information regarding the town in general, and our office in particular. To navigate to our office’s webpage, click on De- partments and select Town Clerk/Tax Collector from the drop-down menu. Tax payments and/or tax bill copies, motor vehicle registration renewals, dog licenses and certified copies of Vital Records can be researched and paid online using the town website. Mailing addresses can also be updated electronically there. We strongly encourage residents to sign up for the weekly town email newsletter by clicking on the “Email Updates” link. This newsletter includes valuable information about upcoming events, employment opportunities, and town office closures.

The office is open for your convenience 5 days a week, including Tuesday and Wednesday evenings until 7:00 pm. Please note that we close from 12:00 (noon) until 1:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays.

Respectfully submitted, Revenues Collected from July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018

MOTOR VEHICLE PERMIT FEES (4,022 reg.) $794,933.00 Kenneth Story, Town Clerk/Tax Collector MUNCIPAL AGENT FEE $14,550.00 Penny Palmer, Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector BOAT REGISTRATION & CLERK FEE (109 reg.) $613.00 RECLAMATION TRUST FUND $8,964.00 RECLAMATION ADMINISTRATION FEES $1,907.00 DOG LICENSES & FINES (768 licenses) $5,441.50 MARRIAGE LICENSES $650.00 VITAL STATISTICS CERTIFIED COPIES $1,360.00 UCC FILINGS $540.00 OTHER REVENUES $207.00 HUNTING, FISHING & OHRV AGENT FEES (165) $391.00 TOTAL $829,556.50

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8888 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 89 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 9090 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 91 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 9292 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 93 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 9494 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 95 TRANSFER STATION REPORT

Here we are with another fiscal year in the history book. As you can see, with the comparison of July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 and July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

2016-2017 2017-2018

MSW (Trash) 986.52 T 986.53 T

C & D 333.16 T 372.41 T Total Waste T & E 1,319.68 T; $115,537.98 E 1,358.94 T; $118,975.19 E Aluminum 4.42 T; $2,994.85 R 4.9325 T; $3,544.28 R Metal 53.0158 T; $4,244.30 R 61.9416 T; $8,077.34. R Tin Cans 5.6696 T; $612.92 R 4.3035 T; $374.51 R Cardboard 84.47 T; $11,646.75 R 66.63 T; $6,159.52 R Glass 87.72 T; $2631.60 E 80.41 T; $2,412.30 E

Paper 105.05 T; $1,695.73 R; $11,050 E 102.98 T; $446.68 R; $13,792.27 E

Plastic 34.87 T; $2,193.4 E 36.58 T; $2,577.52 E

Electronic Waste 12.07 T; 76.96 R $3,811.82 E 8.54 T; $65.78 R ,$3,408.59 E

Tires 24.01 T; $3,267.90 E 20.53 T; $2,891.25 E Brush 41.05 70.13 T Total Recycling* 452.34 T; $21,194.55 R; $22,954.72 E 456.98 T; $18,602.33 R; $25,081.93 E Tickets Collected $16,620 $22,310 Recycling Percentage 26% 26%

* T = Tons; R = Revenue; E = Expense We saw a 39 ton increase in waste, and only a four-ton increase in recycling. The increase in waste was seen in C&D and we attribute this to more remodeling going on. There was no increase in MSW which was virtually the same as the previous fiscal year.

We held a successful hazardous waste day in July, I thank all the citizens that participated. This year brought a change in glass recycling. Due to some towns in our state not accepting glass as recycling, our recycling organization is attempting to rectify the situation. To do this they have added several host towns, that accept glass and turn it into aggregate. In order to use the extra aggregate, they located a company in Canada that uses it to make insulation and other things. This aggregate has to be clean, and they will only take glass food and beverage containers. That is why we cannot put glasses, coffee mugs and any other ceramics in our containers. Thank you for your cooperation.

In closing, I would like to thank the citizens of Grantham and my staff for making this a great transfer station. Please remember to drive slowly, and have your hangtags visible so we can verify that you belong in our great facility. Respectfully submitted,

Christopher C. Scott, Supervisor Buddy Sweeney, William Bullock, Ron Bendel and Chris Martin—Attendants

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 9696 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 97 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 9898 ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT REPORT

The Zoning Board of Adjustment held four meetings during the past fiscal year. The meetings included two requests for a variance and two requests to discuss conceptional projects that might require future approval by the Board. There also was discussion on amendments to the Ordinance.

The two variance requests were approved, one concerned the incursion into a setback with the extension of a deck and the other was for the construction of solar panels in Eastman.

The two conceptual requests covered the possibility of “street dancing” at the rear of Rum Brook Plaza and the other the possible use of “agri-tourism” (a newly designation under the State of New Hampshire category of “Agriculture”). Both proposals were discussed at length but there have not been subsequent follow -up requests to appear before the Board.

Two amendments to the Ordinance were discussed. The first was to include a new category of “AirBandB” (commercial real estate rentals of less than thirty days not contracted by a real estate agent) as a “Permitted Use by Special Exception” to appear as an extension under the existing “Permitted Use by Special Exception” of “Bed and Breakfast Inns”.

The other proposal was to move the existing “Permitted Use” of “Agricultural and Forestry” in the Rural- Residential District RR-1 (one-acre minimum lots) into the category of “Permitted Use by Special Excep- tion”. This type review does not include an applicant proving hardship but does require evidence that the use will not be detrimental to others in the neighborhood.

These proposed amendments were delayed in getting to the Planning Board for review in 2017 but were subsequently presented to the Planning Board in late 2018 and received their recommendation to be included on the two Warrant Articles at the March 2019 Town Meeting.

The Board reluctantly accepted the resignation of long time Board member Margery Bostrom who moved from Grantham. She will be missed.

Martha Norris, long time Clerk of the Board, announced her projected retirement in 2019. Martha too will be missed by all - not only Board members but by the residents who received information and assistance from her regarding Zoning matters.

The Zoning Board is in need of more members and would encourage anyone who might have an interest in Zoning to step forward. The Zoning Board on average has only three or four meetings per year thus does not require a large commitment of time.

Respectively submitted, Conrad F. Frey

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 99 Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust

The mission of the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust (Ausbon Sargent) is to protect the rural landscape of the twelve towns of the Mt. Kearsarge/Ragged/Lake Sunapee region. This area comprises the towns of Andover, Bradford, Danbury, Goshen, Grantham, New London, Newbury, Springfield, Sunapee, Sutton, Warner and Wilmot. Since our founding in 1987, Ausbon Sargent has completed 147 projects and protected 11,481 acres – including fifteen working farms and over eight miles of lake frontage. All of these conservation lands must provide for some public benefit and two-thirds of these properties offer public access.

Quality of life is very important to the residents of New Hampshire and the state consistently ranks in the top ten as one of the best places to live in the United States. Contributing to this ranking are our clean water, scenic places and outdoor recreation. Open spaces also contribute significantly to the economic well-being of the State and our communities. During 2018 Ausbon Sargent completed four projects representing just over 218 acres in the towns of Sunapee, Warner and New London. Our website (www.ausbonsargent.org) indicates which of the land trust’s protected properties have trails open to the public for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and includes both trail maps and driving di- rections. For information on all of Ausbon Sargent’s protected properties, please visit our website, join our email list, and be sure to “Like” us on Facebook!

Ausbon Sargent hosted numerous events in 2018 that are available for our membership and the public to enjoy. In addition to our ever-popular fundraising events such as the Progressive Dinner in July and the Holiday Party in December, we held our 7th and final Kearsarge Klassic Bike Event in partnership with the New Hampshire Cycling Club and the New London Historical Society. The event brings riders along routes that showcase Ausbon Sargent properties throughout the 12-town region in distances ranging from 25 to 108 miles. Over the seven years, the event became a favorite of many riders in the tri-state area and beyond!

We held workshops on conservation options for landowners, the new tax law and gift planning (a worthy topic for all area non-profits that attended), and on becoming an easement monitor. We collaborated with the Center for the Arts on an art exhibit and sale at the Livery in Sunapee Harbor, and the Abbott Library in Sunapee for a presentation and hike entitled “Birds of Wendell Marsh South.” We also coordinated a hike to Clark Lookout with the Lake Sunapee Region Young Professionals Network. Two hikes were offered in Sutton, and one each in Sunapee and Warner. Our popular dragonfly walk was held in Grantham at the Bagley/Newhall residence, and a special Tree Farm Award Celebration was held at Star Lake Farm in Springfield. As you can see, we offer many opportunities to get out to learn, hike, and get involved in our mission to protect the rural landscape of our region. We hope you will all come out at some point to take advantage of our workshops, or to experience the beauty of some of these special places for yourselves.

Ausbon Sargent is pleased to have over 200 volunteers providing year-round support for easement monitoring, committee assignments and clerical work. Each May we host a Volunteer Recognition Party as a thank you to these loyal and talented volunteers. We are grateful to have so many giving members who provide financial support and the countless hours which have assured our success. If you would like to join us in our work to protect these special places, there are many ways to get involved: you could become a conservation easement donor, support Ausbon Sargent financially, volunteer your time to the organization, encourage the town officials throughout our twelve town region to conserve our rural character by supporting land conservation, and if you are not already, please consider becoming a member of Ausbon Sargent.

Laura Nagy, Grantham Conservation Commission and We look forward to working with the Grantham Conservation part of the Outreach Committee at Ausbon Sargent, pos- Commission in the future on events and land projects! es for a photo with a dragonfly during our annual Drag- onfly Walk. This year’s walk was held on the property owned by Eryn Bagley and Willy Newhall on Route 10 Respectfully submitted, in Grantham. Photo courtesy of Sheridan Brown. Deborah L. Stanley Executive Director

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 100100

BLUE MOUNTAIN SNOWDUSTERS OUTDOOR RECEATION CLUB PO BOX 428, GRANTHAM, NH 03753

Thanks to some cold temperatures and some early January snowfall, we were able to begin our 45th year with some great local riding. The early November snowfall allowed the Blue Mountain Snow Dusters (BMSD) to begin clearing and signing trails earlier than usual. Our trails were opened and groomed soon after we received our first significant snowfall. With the typical snowfall in February and March, BMSD is looking forward to a fantastic 2018/2019 riding season.

Our all-volunteer club continues carrying out the suggestion of the 1974 town Select Board to “develop and maintain a recreational trail network in Grantham for the enjoyment of all at no cost to the taxpayer, and build community wherever possible.” Supported by tax deductible donations, NH State snowmobile registration funds, and membership fees, we use our large Tucker groomer and two Skandic snowmobiles to groom Gran- tham’s regionally recognized trail system.

The BMSD welcomes all folks who enjoy the many recreational opportunities our trail system provides. This past season along with the Town of Grantham and North Country Mushers, BMSD co-hosted our first sled dog race. This event turned into a widely attended community event with well over a hundred spectators observing the race from both the Grantham Recreational Fields on Shed road and the end of Walker Road. We hope to make this an annual event and will be co-hosting our second sled dog race this year on February 16th. The race is slated to start and end at the Grantham Recreational Fields on Shed road. We hope this will be an event the entire community will be able to enjoy.

The BMSD wishes to thank our Board of Selectmen and landowners for your enduring support of our efforts to develop and maintain a critical Grantham outdoor recreational asset and to build community in our great town. For more information about BMSD, and the latest trail map, please visit the BMSD web site at www.snowdusters.org

Keith Grohbrugge, President; and the Officers and Directors of the Blue Mountain Snow Dusters, ORC.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 101

Established in 1992, the Kearsarge Area Council on Aging (COA) has become an important social service organization dedicated to meeting the needs of our communities’ seniors, and their families, friends, and neighbors. Headquartered in the Chapin Senior Center in New London, COA provides a unique and mostly volunteer-led range of programs and services for active older adults through its role as a community convener and leader dedicated to serving seniors. COA serves nine Kearsarge area communities, including seniors residing in Sunapee.

COA supports our community of seniors by promoting a high quality of life and healthy aging, focusing on older adults who depend on us to support their independence, help them find their sense of purpose, and provide the opportunity for seniors to help seniors.

2018 was another transformational year for COA, as we made major progress in implementing our strategic plan for meeting new and emerging needs of seniors who reside in the 329.3 square miles of largely rural communities served by COA. This was our second year of our current plan, concentrating on achieving five major goals. They are: enhance the use and functionality of the Chapin Senior Center property, meet the current and emerging needs of seniors, enhance and expand our relationships with volunteers, strengthen COA’s marketing and development, and strengthen COA’s operations. We endeavor to be a strong community partner and collaborator, and are well respected as such.

Perhaps the most critical service, in terms of helping neighbors who do not have much access to transportation is our transportation program. We provide safe transportation, door to door, as far north as Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and as far south as Concord Medical Center. We currently have 59 volunteer drivers and 118 transportation clients, with many of those seniors residing in Grantham. Last year, for the Town of Grantham, we provided rides driving 140 miles. We service seniors, without regard to race, gender, disability*, religion, or financial capacity to obtain needed services. (* in cases where riders require substantial assistance, such as wheelchair bound clients, where we cannot properly transport them, so we do our best to refer those riders to pay-for-service providers.)

COA’s program numbers continued to be impressive in 2018. We provided more than 50 exciting and vibrant programs, services, and activities for our more than 2,300 members, evidenced by more than 14,000 participation units. (Participation units are defined as the number of times a person engages with COA’s programs, services, and/or activities.)

We have earned a strong reputation as one of New Hampshire’s professionally run, innovative, and strong volunteer- based nonprofit organizations. For many years running, KCOA was the lead facilitative center for other New Hamp- shire senior centers who were members of the NH Association of Senior Centers, and maintained our leadership role as a progressive, values-driven community organization operating with fiscal soundness and a professionalism.

We remain grateful for our town partners, volunteers, members, donors, business sponsors, and staff for their help and support what continues to lead to high levels of health and well-being for its senior neighbors.

Respectfully submitted,

Kelley Keith, BA, MS Executive Director

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 102102 Grantham Community Crisis Fund Report

Grantham Community Crisis Fund Report 2018 Last year Grantham celebrated it’s 250th anniversary and with that celebration came pride in a community that has served its people well for many years. Also, with great pride, the Grantham Community Crisis Fund has been serving it’s community since 1995, in the capacity of assisting people who have encountered difficulties that seem unsurmountable. Our non-profit charitable organization was put into place to help people on their first step to recovery.

Using no tax dollar and existing only with the generosity of the Grantham peoples, when needed ,we have been able to do our job.

We would like to thank the various people who have assisted us specifically the town officials, school workers, community members and organizations and their volunteer workers, whose assistance is so vital to our abilities to function as we need.

As always, all our requests are handled in the most confidential way possible and this confidentiality will always be a priority with our organization.

Please feel free to contact any of our members with questions or request for assistance.

Thank you, Grantham!

Deborah Cheever 863-5946

Cindy Towle 863-3156

Andrew Mellow 863-1850

Terry Dorr 863-4028

Kris Widmann 863-1681

Susan Wren 863-7355

Grantham Community Crisis Fund PO Box 1192 Grantham, NH 03753

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 103 Grantham Historical Society Report

Like many volunteer historical organizations, 2018 provided a few challenges for the Grantham Historical So- ciety (GHS). At the same time, significant progress was made on at least one major project, and we were able to commence a long-standing plan to work with the Grantham Village School to help promote our town’s history. Unfortunately, long-time GHS member and sitting vice-president Rae Tober “retired” from the board. Rae, who also served as the town archivist, had been a long-standing board member and a great help with our collections review and cataloging process. While we wish Rae the best as she moves on to more ‘family oriented’ research projects, we thank her for all her hard work at GHS and look forward to having her stay in touch as an active member of the society. And while we’re discussing board members, we ask anyone who might be interested in serving on our board to contact any sitting board members directly to discuss these positions further. The completion of our published history of the town moved into the professional layout phase as all of the chapters were finalized with accompanying images and forwarded to the publisher to be laid out. Chapters are coming back gradually for inspection. We hope to complete the society’s responsibilities in early 2019 and publish in the spring. At the request of one of the teachers, board member Kelly Spiller prepared and delivered a presentation on the town’s history to students at the Grantham Village School. A cooperative and supportive relationship with GVS is something that has long been discussed at GHS. Such previous board members as Dwight Wilder and Rae Tober had started the ball rolling; however, it was truly gratifying to see it coalesce into a completed Pow- erPoint presentation that can be saved and delivered in the future. Many thanks to Kelly for her hard work and organization. Our programs included our annual meeting in May, which featured a potluck supper and presentation by New Hampshire independent scholar and Wolfeboro native Glenn Knoblock on the history of beer brewing in the state. Glenn’s presentation featured a number of historic photographs, including images of early breweries and a number of early advertisements for ‘liquid bread.’ He highlighted the state’s rich history of commercial brewing that long predates the current ‘craft brewing’ craze. In December, Vermont native, living history pre- senter and fiddler Adam Boyce brought keyboardist Sue Hunt with him to entertain us with a selection of folk favorites, seasonal and not. His fiddle filled the air with the strains of such favorites as “Rudolph The Red- Nosed Reindeer” and “Silent Night,” while he also added rousing versions of “Beer Barrel Polka” and “My Grandfather’s Clock.” It’s always the right time for great music, but it seems especially appropriate around the holidays. All who attended clapped their hands, tapped their feet and sang along. We look forward to having Adam return soon and bring that holiday spirit with him. The work of the collections committee slowed with fewer donations overall, but a few worthwhile and thoughtful donations were accepted and cataloged. As always, we remain deeply grateful for all the kind and generous individuals who entrust us with these treasures. Allow me to thank outgoing Vice-President Rae Tober, Treasurer Kathi Osgood, and board members Nate Carey and Kelly Spiller for their continued commitment and service. Please remember to visit our webpage (www.granthamhistoricalsociety.org) and our Facebook page, searcha- ble by “Grantham Historical Society.” We update both sites with historic information, historic photos, and notices of upcoming events, projects and volunteer opportunities. Finally, we would be remiss if we did not thank our membership for their support. We invite everyone, including current and future members, to stop by on Friday afternoons during our usual office hours (1:00-4:00pm) or by appointment. We are always happy to talk history, to offer assistance to researchers, and to take any opportunity to celebrate the history of Grantham.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Story President

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 104104 Dear Friends:

On behalf of the staff and volunteers of Lake Sunapee Region VNA & Hospice (LSRVNA), thank you for the opportunity to provide home health and hospice services, personal care and community health programs in Grantham. Our core mission to provide care for individuals and families in home and community settings and enable people to stay in their homes for as long as possible has not wavered even as health care continues to change and become more complex. Results of our 2017 Community Health Needs Assessment clearly showed that “aging with confidence” and access to resources and information to do so were top-of-mind for many area residents. Having services that address this need (and others) requires resources such as you have generously shared with us. I am proud to report that, for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2018, LSRVNA served residents in the following ways:

 Provided hours of nursing, therapy and in-home supportive care to residents;

 Provided free or reduced fee in-home nursing, therapy and social work visits to residents. Visits were also provided under various Medicaid programs (NH Medicaid reimburses at less than 60% of visit costs);

 Residents received visits through our hospice program and were able to live their life as they wished at home. Their families are provided 14 months of bereavement support and counseling after the death of their loved, at no cost;

 Our palliative care program has seen a makeover. We hired a nurse dedicated to this program to focus on the conversations and navigation of chronic or serious illnesses with an emphasis on symptom management and personal goals;

 Residents utilized our foot care, flu and blood pressure clinics as well as parent child, bereavement and other support groups;

 “Ounce of Prevention” is a new program started this past year by LSRVNA. We provide a free home visit to begin a conversation about how to keep people safe and independent in their home.

Our exceptional staff is dedicated to quality of life for each patient as well as the overall health and strength of our community. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is any way we may be of service to you, your loved ones or your Town’s residents. Our vision to be the leading provider of home care in the region, to be the best place to work and volunteer, and to remain an enduring presence is only possible with support and confidence such as yours. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jim Culhane President & CEO

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 105

Thank you to the residents of Grantham for supporting the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley (PHC) in 2018.

The PHC has quickly become the largest and broadest coalition of advocates on public health issues in the greater Upper Valley region. The PHC is a dynamic organization with the flexibility to forge solutions that respond to the needs of its grassroot members with backing from governmental, philanthropic, and health care institutions. Through regular meetings and ongoing initiatives, the PHC empowers organizations, professionals, and citizens, who together make our communities healthier and better places to live, work, and play.

In 2018, PHC staff and partners worked together to address substance misuse, healthy eating, oral health, and other concerns for the region. The PHC supported a number of collaborative initiatives such as: • Provided supportive housing for pregnant and parenting women in early recovery from opioid addic- tion. • Expanded availability of summer meal programs for children in the region. • Hosted a forum for 49 school personnel and area service providers to better match student needs with resources available in the community. • Hosted a Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults training for 29 people who work with older adults as volunteers or as professionals to help them recognize the signs of mental illness in older adults and understand how to help them • Brought together 18 people to explore the role of the Town Welfare/Support Officer and share ideas to do this work more effectively. Attendees requested the meetings be continued on a biannual basis • Hosted five flu clinics in rural communities across our region, providing over 1,100 free vaccines.

PHC greatly appreciates the support we receive from Grantham and will continue to work hard to meet your needs in 2019. For more information about PHC, visit us at www.uvpublichealth.org.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 106106

New London Hospital

As we reflect on the past year, we extend our gratitude to the community at-large for their collective efforts to help us celebrate our milestone centennial anniversary. We are proud of our 100 year legacy and the many advancements in quality patient-care through the decades. Your support of our efforts truly encourages us every day.

This year we continued to expand our medical staff, enhance our clinical services, and acquire advanced technology to deliver high- quality, safe and compassionate care. With all of our undertakings and initiatives, care of our patients and their families continues to take center stage. Adding value to the patient experience was at the heart of our 2018 accomplishments, some of which we are pleased to share with you here:

Specialty Services and Providers We are in our sixth year advancing and expanding local health care through our strategic relationship with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health (D-HH). This partnership enables us to bring health care experts into the community both in New London and at our Newport Health Center (NHC) so residents are not required to travel away from their home community to seek academic-level care. This ful- fills our strategic initiative of moving providers not patients. We currently offer nearly 20 specialty services with over 60% of our providers dual-credentialed at both NLH and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC).

Our EMS team launched our new Mobile Integrated Health Service which in collaboration with our community partners, visits patients in their first 24-48 hours after discharge from an in-patient stay. This program allows us to ensure that the needs of our patients continue to be met while at home, thus reducing the need for unnecessary readmission.

Advanced Technology We continue to invest in new technologies which are being used for the detection of disease and cancer, enhanced neurological and orthopedic surgical services and empowered community wellness. This year these advancements included:

The Meditronic O-arm enhances spine surgeons’ ability to perform minimally invasive surgery procedures. The O-arm provides a real-time image of a patient’s anatomy during surgery by producing high quality images and a large field-of-view in both two and three dimensions. This technology ensures unparalleled safety and accuracy.

The BioFire FilmArray TORCH is an integrated testing machine, which cuts result wait times from days to just two hours. With the increased speed and accuracy of diagnoses for patients of New London Hospital and Newport Health Center, precise treatment can start quicker with better outcomes. The BioFire FilmArray TORCH system also assists the diagnosis of 60 diseases related to respir- atory illnesses, infectious diseases, and gastrointestinal ailments.

The higi health station, which arrived in November, is our latest commitment to empowering our community to “own your health”. Now available in our main lobby, the health station allows guests to check and track their “numbers” in many categories including: weight, BMI, pulse and blood pressure. To learn more and start your profile visit: www.higi.com.

Recognition and Accreditation While our focus is on serving our patients and community, it is gratifying to be recognized by local and national organizations. NLH and NHC are pleased to be awarded the following:

For the third year in a row, NLH achieved American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Index Gold Level Award for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace. We are thrilled to be one of only two organizations in New Hampshire to be recognized at this level.

Dr. Larry Schissel, President of the Medical Staff and NHC primary care provider, received the New Hampshire Hospital Association Outstanding Medical Staff of the Year award.

Newport Health Center was awarded a three-year term of accreditation in ultrasound as the result of an extensive review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety.

Financial Performance Our D-HH membership has increased revenue by improving the availability and quality of the medical services we offer, and helped in many ways "behind the scenes". We benefit from joint purchasing of equipment, supplies and insurance. We enjoy better invest- ment, audit and refinancing services as part of a larger group. The financial result for NLH is a strong balance sheet, improved cash position, stronger revenue growth and reduced expenses in some areas of operations.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 107 Community Our lead fundraising initiative, the 100 New Donor Challenge was achieved in September and “unlocked” a $50,000 matching grant from the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation. We feel truly grateful to the foundation and our new donors for their generosity.

The support of the community throughout the year has humbled us. This was felt from the Sunapee region’s involvement in the 94th Annual Hospital Days, the 35th Annual Triathlon, the 13th Annual Benefit, the 100th Anniversary Concert and other various community activities. We are truly appreciative of people’s engagement and participation.

We feel excited as we enter into the hospital’s next century of wellness and the many opportunities that lie ahead to bring exceptional health care to our regional community. We are actively engaged in this work, and know that we could not do it without your support.

Warm wishes for the new year ahead.

Bruce P. King Douglas W. Lyon President and CEO Chair, Board of Trustees

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 108108

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 109

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 110110

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 111 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 112112 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 113 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 114114 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 115 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 116116 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 117

Serving 27 communities in Grafton, Sullivan and Merrimack Counties since 1963, the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Re- gional Planning Commission (UVLSRPC) has been providing professional planning assistance to municipal boards, along with inter-municipal planning, liaison between local and state/federal agencies, and assistance on development, public health, and environmental issues.

In February UVLSRPC said goodbye to Amber Boland, our GIS Coordinator/Planner and in April we welcomed Olivia Uyizeye. Olivia has a background with GIS, has assisted with our regional housing needs assessment, staffed the local subcommittees of the Connecticut River Joint Commission as well as several field work commitments.

Highlights of our work and accomplishments in 2018 include: • Responded to more than 150 requests from our towns and cities for technical assistance. • Provided Household Hazardous Waste Collections that served approximately 1,000 households. • Worked with Sullivan County on developing an Economic Development Profile • Established a regional Brownfields identification, assessment, and remediation planning program. • Trained local staff about environmentally responsible transfer station practices. • Assisted school districts with green cleaning practices • Worked on and help develop the 2021-2030 Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. • Helped to identify transit and paratransit issues in Sullivan County, to restore needed mobility services, and to coordinate planning for improved public and human services transportation. • Conducted more than 110 traffic counts across the region. • Helped Claremont with digitizing their stormwater system and created a distinct GIS layer. • Assisted Lebanon, Hanover, and Advance Transit with public transit signal prioritization analysis. • Assisted Enfield Shaker Village and Lake Sunapee Scenic Byway committees. • Provided Circuit Rider planning staff assistance to Newport, Springfield, Claremont, Wilmot, and New London. • Assisted on the Wilmot Master Plan with the completion of the Community Survey. • Assisted on the Unity Master Plan • Helped Planning Boards to evaluate Projects of Regional Impact. • Provided administrative and staffing assistance to the Connecticut River Joint Commissions. • Provided GIS Technical Assistance to Claremont DPW and Claremont Planning and Development Departments. • Conducted full assessment of all locally owned culverts for the Town of Lyme. • Increased GIS capacity and developed an Open Data Portal for Regional GIS data. • Completed Hazard Mitigation Plans for Acworth, New London and Springfield. • Re-established the Regional Planners Brown Bag Lunch to share and coordinate amongst our region’s planning professionals. • Performed a build-out analysis on zoning regulations for the Town of Lyme. • Assisted the Town of Sunapee with a Route 11 Corridor study. • Assisted Sullivan County Transit develop a county wide public transit plan. • Coordinated with Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission and Southern Windsor County Regional Plan- ning Commission on a true Upper Valley regional housing needs assessment.

Our goals for 2019 include developing a comprehensive regional housing needs assessment, facilitate workforce development training, help our region become age-friendly, develop corridor focused transportation plans and establish a non -profit to support regional planning efforts.

Please contact us at (603) 448-1680 or [email protected], to share your thoughts and suggestions. It is a pleasure to serve the municipalities of this region. Thank you for your support over the decades.

Steven Schneider

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 118118 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 119 Visiting Nurse and Hospice for VT and NH Home Health, Hospice and Maternal Child Health Services in Grantham, NH

Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire (VNH) is a compassionate, non-profit healthcare organization committed to providing the highest quality home health and hospice services to individuals and their families. VNH provides care for people of all ages and at all stages in life, and delivers care to all, regardless of ability to pay.

VNH services reduce costs associated with town programs for emergency response and elder care. With quality care provided at home, there is less need for costly hospital and emergency room trips. And with VNH support, residents can age in place rather than relocating to a state or local nursing home.

Between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 VNH made 525 homecare visits to 22 Grantham residents. This included approximately $17,226 in unreimbursed care to Grantham residents.

Home Health Care: 414 home visits to 19 residents with short-term medical or physical needs.

Hospice Services: 110 home visits to 2 residents who were in the final stages of their lives.

Skilled Pediatric Care: 1 home visits to 1 resident for well baby, preventative and palliative medical care.

Additionally, residents made visits to VNH wellness clinics at local senior and community centers throughout the year, receiving low- and no-cost services including blood pressure screenings, foot care, cholesterol testing, and flu shots.

Grantham’s annual appropriation to VNH helps to ensure that all have access to quality care when and where it is needed most. On behalf of the people we serve, we thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Hilary Davis, Director Community Relations and Development (1-888-300-8853)

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 120120 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 121 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 122122 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 123 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 124124 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 125 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 126126 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 127 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 128128 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 129 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 130130 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 131 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 132132 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 133

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 134134

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 135 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 136136 Congressional Delegation & Representatives

United States Senators

Honorable Margaret Wood Hassan 1589 Elm Street, Third Floor Manchester, NH 03101; 603-622-2204

Honorable Jeanne Shaheen 2 Wall Street, Suite 220 Manchester, NH 03101; 603-647-7500

United States Congresswoman—District 2

Honorable Ann McLane Kuster 18 North Main Street, Fourth Floor Concord, NH 03301; 603-226-1002

NH Senator—District 8

SENATOR Ruth Ward State House, Room 105-A 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 603-271-4151

NH Representatives

SULLIVAN COUNTY—DISTRICT 1 SULLIVAN COUNTY—DISTRICT 9

Lee Walker Oxenham Linda Tanner 92 Methodist Hill Road, Plainfield, NH 03781-5415 PO Box 267 603-727-9368 ~ [email protected] Georges Mills, NH 03751-0267 603-763-4471 ~ [email protected] Brian Sullivan 642 Olde Farms Road, Grantham, NH 03753-3124 603-381-7889 ~ [email protected]

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 137 Legislative Report Representative Brian Sullivan

Sullivan County District 1 Cornish, Grantham, Plainfield and Springfield

Following my election in the special election of 2017, I have been reelected to a full term in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. It is an honor and privilege to serve as the Representative to the four towns of this House District. I pledge to work my hardest to advocate for the residents of these towns and to be true to the principles that I ran on. I will be a dedicated supporter of quality education, economic development that helps workers, and a clean en- vironment enhanced by renewable energy. One of the hallmarks of the 2018 legislative session was the extension of Expanded Medicaid for five years. This will protect the medical coverage for over 50,000 New Hampshire residents. It also provides essential funding and support in the effort to end the opioid crisis. We need to find ways to make sure all residents of New Hampshire have access to healthcare. Expanded Medicaid brings us one step closer to that goal. The controversial SB 193 school voucher bill was defeated with a bipartisan vote in the New Hampshire House. If passed it would have siphoned tax dollars away from local public schools and channel the tax dollars to private, reli- gious and home schools. Members from both parties recognized that this would have been constitutionally challenged and it would have involved local schools either cutting programs or raising property taxes to offset the lost revenue. At the start of the 2019 session I was honored to be asked to serve as chair of the House Labor, Industrial and Rehabili- tative Services Committee. I have been enjoying the challenges related to leading a committee. One of those challenges will be holding hearings on three separate minimum wage bills. For many years, New Hampshire has followed the federal minimum wage which has sat at $7.25 per hour since 2009. It seems likely that the Labor Committee will support a higher New Hampshire minimum wage. It is unclear exactly what will be the outcome after the House and Sen- ate finish work on the issue. I hope the governor will support a higher minimum wage, I do. Some bills that failed to pass last year are returning this session with better prospects. One of those is Paid Family Leave. This is an insurance program that is paid for by premiums deducted from payroll. Employers will then submit these premiums to the State along with workers compensation premiums. After an employee has been enrolled in the plan for 12 months, he or she will be eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave at 60% pay if the employee or a family member becomes sick or injured. This is a family and worker friendly benefit that will make New Hampshire an even better place to work and raise a family. Another bill coming back this year is the repeal of the death penalty. This is an effort that some veteran legislators have been working on for decades. I have always opposed the death penalty simply because I feel that it is wrong for the State to use death as punishment, but after studying the issue more closely over the past year, I have become more convinced than ever that it is wrong for New Hampshire. I recently heard a woman speak who spent two years on death row in another state for being wrongly accused of killing her infant son. Our criminal justice system most often gets things right, but not always. We cannot allow someone to be executed by mistake. Having a convicted murderer on death row also causes great suffering for the family of the victim. Every time there is an appeal or other court hear- ing, the family must relive the tragic event. This goes on for years. Better to have the convict in prison for life with no parole and allow the family to process their grief and live their lives in relative peace. Finally, there is the cost factor. It is much less expensive to have a convict spend live in prison than to pay for the near endless legal costs associated with carrying out the death penalty. It is time for New Hampshire to replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole. I am always happy to receive input from constituents, so please do not hesitate to contact me. briansulli- [email protected]

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 138138

I am honored to be serving the communities of Cornish, Croydon, Grantham, Newport, Plainfield, Spring- field, Sunapee, and Unity in my third term as State Representative. I will be serving as the Clerk for the Edu- cation Committee and Assistant Majority Floor Leader. Last term was very busy looking at some pressing issues for New Hampshire. We expanded full day Kinder- garten using Keno receipts which provides inconsistent funding. After much discussion and political maneu- vering, a bill to allow school vouchers was sent to interim study. The voucher system would have drained money from our public schools and raise local taxes. We passed a bill to include civics in our current curric- ulum standards. Several programs were initiated to help high school students develop a career path and gain some college credits while still in high school. Transgender protections were added to our State's non dis- crimination statue which will protect all our students. The discussion created by a bill I co-sponsored about the secure psychiatric unit,(SPU), presently located in the State Prison, has led to the State committing to much needed secure units outside of the prison. The result will be a suitable facility with treatment for people with mental illness rather than incarceration. Expanded Medicaid program was reauthorized which, along with the Governor's 'hub and spoke' initiative for accessing and providing treatment, will help address the opioid crisis. This term will be a busy year with over 1,000 bills submitted. In this first year of the biennium the focus will be on budget and revenue streams. The Education Committee will have many issues to address with school funding being front and center. In the past decade downshifting of financing for many school programs from the State to the local property tax has resulted in great disparity in educational opportunity and has significantly increased local property taxes. There are many issues in the funding process that have to be discussed and addressed including per pupil adequacy, building aid, stabilization grants, special education funding, and fully funded kindergarten. At the higher education level funding for our University and Community College system needs to be addressed. We have one of the highest tuition costs resulting in the highest student loan debt in the country. The bottom line is revenue funding. The question is where will the State come up with the funds to meet the needs of local schools and communities and offer property tax relief. Thank you for the opportunity to represent you in our state government. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me with your comments, concerns, or questions.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 139

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 140140 TAX RELIEF OPTIONS

For the following programs, applications are available at the Selectmen’s Office in Grantham Town Hall, 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH:

Abatements: Application deadline: March 1 after final tax bill of the year. Per RSA 76:16, property owners who believe there is an error in their property assessment, or their assessment is disproportionate, may apply to the Board of Selectmen for an abatement. Applications are also on line at: https://www.nh.gov/btla/forms/documents/abatement.pdf.

Elderly Exemption (RSA 72:39-a): Application deadline: April 15. Residents 65 years of age and up who meet income and asset limits may apply to the Board of Selectmen for an exemption of the assessment of their property.

This Exemption reduces the taxable value of the real estate for qualified taxpayers as follows: For a

person 65 years of age up to 75 years, a reduction of $44,000 from the assessed value; For a person 75 years of age up to 80 years, a reduction of $66,000 from the assessed value; and For a person 80 years of age or older, a reduction of $82,500 from the assessed value.

To qualify, the applicant must be 65 years of age by April 1 and have been a New Hampshire resident for at least the last 3 years. In addition, your real estate must be your permanent place of residence and if the real estate is owned by such person's spouse, you must have been married for at least 5 years.

Income and Asset limits: Income: For a single person, your net income may not exceed $40,000. If married, a combined net income may not be more than $80,000.

Assets: Excluding your home, if you are single, your assets may not exceed $100,000. If married, your combined assets may not exceed $200,000. Please note that assets include everything that is tangible and intangible.

Low & Moderate Income Homeowners’ Property Tax Relief: You may be eligible for this program if you are: Single with Adjusted Gross Income equal to or less than $20,000; Married or filing Head of a NH Household with Adjusted Gross Income equal to or less than $40,000; and own a home subject to the State Education Property Tax; and resided in that home on April 1. The Town has no authority in regards to this program but you can contact the Selectmen’s Office for an application which the State has typically made available sometime in April. Applications must be filed to the State of New Hampshire between May 1 and June 30.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 141 TAX RELIEF OPTIONS

Veterans Tax Credit: Application deadline: April 15. If you are a Veteran and served during a qualifying war or armed conflict, described below, you may be eligible for a tax credit if:

• You were honorably discharged, or are you the spouse of a veteran who was honorable discharged; • You have been a resident of New Hampshire for at least one year preceding April 1st of this year; and • You live in the home, as your primary residence, for which the tax credit is claimed

Basic eligibility requirements (see RSA 72:28 for complete eligibility requirements): • Every resident of this state who served not less than 90 days in the armed forces of the United States in any qualifying war or armed conflict AND was honorably discharged or an officer honorably separated from service, or the spouse of such resident. • Every resident of this state who was terminated from the armed forces because of service- connected disability; or the surviving spouse of such resident. • The surviving spouse of any resident who suffered a service-connected death.

Veteran’s Tax Credit (RSA 72:28): If you are a veteran, or a veteran’s spouse or surviving spouse, you may be eligible for a $500 tax credit. You will need to submit a copy of your DD- 214 along with your permanent application form PA-29. If you served in a war or conflict since May 8, 1975, please be sure the DD-214 you provide has your character of service (sometimes labeled Member 4 copy in the lower right- hand corner).

All Veteran’s Tax Credit (RSA 72:28-b): If you are a veteran and a resident of this state who served not less than 90 days on active service in the armed forces of the United States and was honorably discharged or an officer honorably separated from service; or the spouse or surviving spouse of such resident, provided that Title 10 training for active duty by a member of a national guard or reserve, you may be eligible for a $500 tax credit.

Credit for Surviving Spouse of a Veteran Who Was Killed or Died on Active Duty (RSA 72:29- a): If you are the surviving spouse of any person who was killed or dies while on active duty in the armed forces, you may be eligible for a tax credit. You will need to submit documentation from the Veterans Administration to support your status.

Credit for Service-Connected Total & Permanent Disability (RSA 72:35): If you are a qualified veteran with a total and permanent service-connected disability, or are a double amputee or paraplegic, or you are the surviving spouse of such a veteran, you may be eligible for a tax credit. You will need to submit documentation from the Veterans Administration to support your status.

Total Exemption (RSA 72:36-a): If your homestead has been specially adapted because of your service- related disability, you may be eligible for a total exemption from property taxes. You will need to submit documentation from the Veterans Administration to support your status, as well as documentation of the specially adapted homestead, and financing with the assistance of the Veterans Administration.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 142142 TAX RELIEF OPTIONS

Solar Energy Systems Exemption (RSA 72:61-64): Application deadline: April 15. This is an optional property tax exemption from the property’s assessed value for property that is equipped with solar energy systems intended for use at the immediate site. This exemption would be equal to 100% of the assessed value of a qualifying solar energy system under these statutes.

Tax Deferral Lien: Per RSA 72:38-a, disabled residents or residents over 65 may apply for a tax deferral lien. This program allows a resident to defer payment of their residential property taxes, plus annual interest of 5%, until the transfer of their property or up to 85% of the property equity value.

Wind-Powered Energy Systems Exemption (RSA 72:65-68): Application deadline: April 15. This is an optional property tax exemption from the property’s assessed value for property that is equipped with wind powered energy systems intended for use at the immediate site. This exemption would be equal to 100% of the assessed value of a qualifying wind-powered energy system under these statutes.

Wood-heating Energy Systems Exemption (RSA 72:70): Application deadline: April 15. This is an optional property tax exemption from the property’s assessed value for property that is equipped with wood-heating energy system (as defined in RSA 72:69) intended for use at the immediate site. This exemption would be equal to 100% of the assessed value of a qualifying wood-heating energy system under these statutes.

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 143 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 144144 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 145 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 146146 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 147 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 148148 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 149 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 150150 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 151 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 152152 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 153 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 154154 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 155 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 156156 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 157 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 158158 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 159 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 160160 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 161 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 162162 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 163 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 164164 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 165 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 166166 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 167 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 168168 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 169 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 170170 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 171 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 172172 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 173 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 174174 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 175 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 176176 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 177 TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 178178 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 179 Out and about in Grantham….

Fall foliage on Walker Pond, October 10, 2018. A November snowman made by the Morris family. Photo courtesy of Melissa White.

White Tail Deer “hanging out” at 34 Whitetail Ridge after the snow storm in November. Photo courtesy of Carole White.

TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 180180

Grantham Town Meeting

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 5 PM

Grantham Town Building, Lower Level

300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH Election of Town Officials by ballot; polls open 10 AM—7 PM

Grantham School District Election of School Officials Annual Meeting By ballot on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 Grantham Town Building, Lower Level Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at 6:30 PM Grantham Village School Gymnasium 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH 75 Learning Drive, Grantham, NH Polls open from 10 AM—7 PM

Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 181